How can a 15 minute Urgent care visit cost 500 dollars?

Question

I had to go! 105 fever and unbelievable pain. Quick strep a swab test and a 5 min with doc for antibiotics and a pain pill they gave me in the office. How can it cost that much?

Answer 1

Because you actually paid your bill.  Most of the people who frequent emergency rooms are there because they know that they'll get treated, money or not.  They're calling an ambulance for minor to fake pain, taking up space, trying to scam for pain meds, and not seeing a regular doctor until it's far too late to be anything but an emergency.  And they don't pay the bills.  So it falls to the rest of us to make up for those people - or we wouldn't have emergency rooms at all.  

I spent less than an hour in an ER a few months ago because I could barely breathe, and ended up paying over $800.  And I drove myself there and back.

Answer 2

I could go on with some rant about how medicine is stupid expensive nowadays thanks to bogus lawsuits and trial lawyers, but I won't...

Basically, everyone there is paid a pretty hefty sum.  And they have to staff that place 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, even if nobody is there.  SO, when you do go there, you're going to pay a pretty premium for their availability.

FYI, next time, try to find an urgent care instead, should cost the same as a doctors office visit, not an ER visit.